Nurse and midwife numbers dragged down by Brexit effect

Commenting on new figures from the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) published today (Wednesday) on the numbers of nurses and midwives either leaving or joining its register to practice in the UK, UNISON head of health Sara Gorton said:

“Brexit has made many European nationals feel decidedly unwelcome. And with NHS staffing pressures showing no sign of easing, no-one could blame nurses and midwives for thinking they’ll be better off elsewhere.

“This European exodus continues apace, simply because the Prime Minister has yet to do enough to reassure EU nurses and midwives that they’ll have rights, jobs and a future once Brexit becomes a reality.

“The small rise in the number of home-grown nurses provides the faintest glimmer of hope, but it’s still way short of what’s needed to provide the care required. And with student numbers down, the future looks bleak.

“Without more staff and proper funding, experienced professionals from within the UK and across Europe will simply keep leaving, and it’ll become ever harder for those that are left to meet the growing demands being placed on the NHS.”

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The most important resource for the NHS is its staff – nurses, midwives and allied health professionals. But the government has scrapped NHS bursaries in England for these student healthcare professionals and replaced them with tuition fees and loans from August 2017.